


wealthier by a single day's death.

by siojo



Series: Equestrian AU [3]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Equestrian, First Dates, M/M, Minor Injuries, Misunderstandings, Yoga
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-30
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-18 19:26:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,962
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15492999
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/siojo/pseuds/siojo
Summary: Marco is quite happy with his life, if his sister would stop kidnapping his dog and his family would quit worrying about him dating, he would be even happier.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this doesn't actually happen on the same day.

Marco bites back a yawn as he walks into the gym, moving towards the row of chairs set up along one wall to wait until his yoga class started in fifteen minutes, feeling like he’s going to close his eyes for a minute too long and not open them back up until his body decides that he’s given it enough rest. Forgetting his coffee cup at home certainly wasn’t helping, because now he was craving it and yawning into his hands.

 

“Mornin’,” Ace grumbles dropping down into the seat beside him, hair pulled up into a ponytail and wearing sweats. “Do you ever consider, seriously,” he yawns, breaking the word in two. “Moving to the night yoga class before remembering you’re dead by sunset and wouldn’t make it?”

 

“All the time,” Marco agrees yawning hard enough that he shook. “I keep hoping that someone will make caffeine something you can have intravenously, but my dreams haven’t been answered.”

 

“A-” Ace’s yarn cuts him off again. “Aren’t IVs slower?”

 

“No, effects are faster because it’s directly into the circulatory system. And I’m pulling a twelve hour shift today in the ER,” Marco buries his face in his hands and ignores the way Ace’s hand moves over his back to comfort him. “Do you think the night class has fewer people who would stare at us?”

 

Marco means women. Every class, he and Ace end up being watched as they shift through the poses following their teacher. There had been one daring individual that had pinched Marco’s ass last time around and he was still feeling uncomfortable about going back into the room and doing this again. He was hoping that he could claim a corner seat.

 

“They are terrifying,” Ace agrees. “Pretty sure the last time someone looked at my ass like that, it was my friend and she wanted to tell me that it wasn’t near as nice as her girlfriend’s.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll never be able to live through the betrayal,” Marco sighs standing as the door to the room opens up and the class before them filters out. “How is your partner?”

 

Ace brightens up, like he always does when speaking about his partner, “He’s good. We had to try out some things, for work this time, and he almost hurt himself. Apparently he shouldn’t have been trying to jump that high, my grandma was not happy.”

 

“At least he’s alright?”

 

“Yeah, but after yoga today I have more work things and he’s going to be helping me. I’m worried he’ll pull something stupid like he did last time we had to prepare for this event, like not listen to me and ignore what we’re suppose to be doing because he’s hungry. Which he eats plenty!”

 

Marco nods, setting up his yoga mat, grateful for the corner, “I’m sure your partner isn’t being starved, you’re not like that.”

 

“I know,” Ace drops down on his mat to start stretching, “But sometimes he does it and I just, I get so mad because like he just ate? I don’t care how good it looks, stop that nonsense.”

 

“Food that looks good is universal,” Marco says leaning back and muffling a groan when his back cracks. “I know that on more than one occasion I have eaten my fill, then found something that looks good and tried to eat it anyway.”

 

Ace laughs, leaning forward to hide his face against his knees, “Oh my god, Marco. I can’t believe you’re siding with him on this nonsense. At least tell me that it wasn’t at some function?”

 

“I’m a doctor,” Marco reminds Ace. “What functions am I going to be going to here? The last time Kureha made me attend something, it ended in stitches.”

 

“It ended in what?” Ace whispers as their instructor stands up and starts talking. “You’re gonna have to explain that at some point. You don’t just tell someone that a function ended in stitches.”

 

Marco hums, grinning at Ace before focusing his attention onto the instructor. He always forgets how easy it is to talk to Ace, how nice Ace was, and how totally off limits Ace was to any type of flirting because all Ace ever talked about were his partner and his baby. Marco didn’t remember if he had ever heard their names before, but he was almost certain at least the partner had an ‘S’ name.

 

“How does she even move like that,” Ace mutters and Marco can feel himself nodding in agreement as the teacher mentions a new pose and shows it to them. “I’m not that flexible.”

 

“You’re not,” Marco mutters back. “I’m either bent over a desk or a human, that curve is the opposite way. What the fuck is that called?”

 

“Pigeon pose. I feel like that is too advanced for us and I hate her for even want us to attempt. If this fucks up my back before my event, I will be pissed.”

 

“I know a good chiropractor, if you end up needing it.”

 

Ace grins at him, “I’ve got one, but my next event is before my next appointment. Which reminds me, hopefully I won’t, but I might not be able to make it Thursday, depending on how set up goes and if anything goes wrong.”

 

“If you can’t, then I wish you luck. I’m sure you’re going to do well.”

 

Ace looks like he wants to respond, but their instructor is moving closer and if they don’t show some effort, she’ll get upset. Even if Marco is sure that this one is going to make his back break. It doesn’t, but he does feel it pop like popcorn and if the muffled laugh he heard means anything, Ace could hear it.

 

“You should probably see that chiropractor yourself,” Ace whispers when he gets the chance. “Or you’re going to end up an old man with a cane.”

 

“Off my lawn,” Marco shoots back, shaking his fist at him for a moment. “I prefer to think of myself as the cool grandfather type in my old age.”

 

“Does that mean Hawaiian shirts? My gramps is pretty cool and for the last six years, anytime he’s not in uniform, he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt. The more brightly colored and the more flowers on it, the more gramps loves it. Grandma says that he’s lucky he waited until she needed glasses or they would give her a migraine.”

 

Marco snorts, “I don’t think tacky hawaiian shirts make anyone cool.”

 

“I can’t believe you just called my gramps tacky,” Ace hisses.

 

“Well, that’s not my fault.”

 

Ace sticks his tongue out at Marco, turning forward to follow the cool down attentively. Marco shakes his head, copying himself, part of his spine aching slightly. He’s going to have to watch it, he really is spending too much time hunched over his paperwork if it’s rebelling after something as simple bending over backwards.

 

“I always feel like mush when we finish up here,” Ace groans, rolling up his mat and wiggling his shoulders. “Not in a bad way? But just all freshly stretched and like I wanna go home and lay about doing nothing.”

 

“But you won’t.”

 

“Nope, I’ve got so much to do,” Ace agrees, one hand on his hip. “You headed home now?”

 

Marco nods, “Gotta take Stefan on his run before he does something horrifying again.”

 

“He’s a baby, Marco, it’s not his fault you left the bathroom door open and he unrolled all the toilet paper. Go take your puppy on his run, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

“Tomorrow,” Marco nods, waiting a long moment as Ace smiles again and heads off before moving towards his apartment.

 

One of the best things about the Royal hospital that he had been invited to join after his residency, was that it was in a rather nice area and that everything was centered around the park. Part of it belonged to a foundation of some kind, Marco had seen their posters, even if he didn’t know what MFEC stood for. Pretty sure it had to do with horses, since all the posters had horses.

 

“Stefan?” Marco calls unlocking his door and stepping inside, setting his yoga mat into the closet. “Stefan, where are you this time? Ah.”

 

Stefan can’t grin, Marco knows that, but it feels like he is, his little tail wagging excitedly as he lays on his back, head just hanging off the couch, along with the remains of the hideous throw pillow that Bay had gotten him as a joke in college and he had never found a way to get rid of.

 

“You know I have to pretend to be upset at you, you know that,” Marco asks moving towards the couch with the lead and harness that he had been recommended by pops. There’s a holder on the lead for the doggy bags and he pauses to check for everything else he needs. “Are we going to behave so I can hook you up?”

 

Stefan flips back onto his stomach, tail moving faster, yipping softly.

 

Marco laughs, moving closer to pet Stefan, scratching under his chin, before putting him into his harness. They stop by the kitchen long enough to grab his waist pack and water bottle, double checking his phone was secure and his keys were in his pocket.

 

“Are we ready?” Marco asks Stefan, Stefan barks, jumping up onto his back legs in excitement. “Alright, we’re gonna do a shorter path today, because I have to be at the hospital sooner today. But,” he takes his time locking the door and leading the way through the complex and across the street, nodding politely to those who he recognized.

 

The park is quiet, still early enough that there’s no where near the crowds that he’s seen when he’s been forced out of the hospital for lunch. Which is good, because the shorter trail he likes loops past the MFEC and there’s an almost steady flow of people in and out of it, he should ask Law about it when they had lunch next. 

 

“Ready?” Marco asks kneeling down to check his running shoes were tied tightly enough to avoid coming undone mid run and tucking the laces in, laughing when Stefan licks up his leg. “I’ll take that as a yes then.”

 

The path loops back in on itself on the far side of the park, just far enough to count as having done his morning run and not too far to be too much for Stefan. Even so, Marco makes sure to pause when Stefan starts to lag behind, waiting until the midway point to pull the small foldable water bowl from his waist pouch, filling it up with water for Stefan and letting him drink as he looks over the bulletin board beside him. 

 

There’s another of those posters for the MFEC, the older looking dark haired man standing beside his horse. He doesn’t looked photoshopped, at least not as much as Marco has seen in magazines. Probably any thing that didn’t come out right in color or the frizzy parts of his hair, but he’s cute. Happy, just the start of a smile on his face.

 

Marco blinks, glancing down at his foot and laughing at Stefan, gnawing on his shoe, “Done now?” Stefan barks. “Alright, hold on,” he picks up the bowl, folding it back up and turning. “Home now!”

 

Stefan barks again, tugging on his lead as he tries to make Marco go faster, even though he stops three time before they reach the end of their run. Marco barely has time to unlock the apartment and undo the harness before Stefan flops onto the ground like all of his bones have vanished.

 

“You stay there then,” Marco agrees, rubbing his head. “I’m going to shower and change.”

* * *

  
  


“I know you’re jealous of my ability, Newgate, but stop pushing your patients off onto me. I’ve got enough work to do without making up for yours too,” Law drawls, smirking when Marco finally looks up from his paperwork. “She’s fine. You know, I can get my own patients.”

 

“You’re better at the more delicate procedures, I thought you would like the chance to show off,” Marco counters, leaning back in his chair. “I thought you were going to be busier today?”

 

“No, one of my surgeries was moved to next week, which I don’t want to do,” Law collapses into the chair opposite Marco, sprawling on it instead of sitting. “But the patient wants to have more time before I slice her open and that’s her prerogative since it’s not an emergency.”

 

“Saying things like ‘slice her open’ are why the residents are scared of you and three cry when you walk into the break room.”

 

Law hums, he doesn’t look remotely repentant, “Are we still going to lunch today? Because otherwise I’ve got a client that wants to move his surgery up because the “recovery time is too long”. I don’t want to do it and I’m hoping you’re up for a long lunch.”

 

“I’ve got four hours in the ER after lunch, so only the hour for me,” Marco answers signing the last thing that has to be done today. He could get ahead or he could read up on the new technique they were talking about implementing in the next year. “Unless you’re free now?”

 

“Fuck, am I?” Law mutters shifting until he can reach his phone and pulling up his schedule from the app that someone had been kind enough to create for the hospital staff. “I have pre-prep work. God, there’s nothing to be done that I can’t kick off on a foundation doctor, alright let’s go.”

 

“That’s another reason they hate you,” Marco states locking his computer and grabbing his phone from where it was charging. “There’s no such thing as pre-prep work.”

 

“It’s like blinker fluid for foundation doctors and Bepo will ask them what they’re doing right after they replace the gloves. Like he always does. He’s too soft on them.”

 

Marco shakes his head, “You’re too hard on them. They’re residents, they’re not going to know everything and maybe some, very few, are arrogant, but you also pick on the ones that are trying their best.”

 

“I’m not picking on anyone, I’m,” Law pauses. “God, I’m exactly like fucking Doffy when I started the foundation program, fuck.”

 

“It’s okay.”

 

“No it’s not. Doffy is the biggest dick that I have ever had the displeasure of knowing, just because he’s good at surgery doesn’t mean he’s not a man that I would fight in another life. And I’ve been acting just like him,” Law pinches the bridge of his nose. “So, maybe I won’t bother the foundation doctors.”

 

“Residents, they get paid.”

 

“All internships should be paid too, but that’s just facts,” Law blinks up at the sun like it’s personally offended him when they step out the hospital. “Where are we going today?”

 

“Baratie is about the only place you can eat without going into shock,” Marco reminds Law, leading the way towards the crosswalk. “I still have no idea how you became a surgeon with all the allergies that you have.”

 

Law smirks and Marco knows he’s set something up for another horrible joke, a meme even, from Law, “I’m not even a person, I’m just a bunch of allergies in a lab coat  playing at fixing people.”

 

“I’m not mad, I’m just disappointed.”

 

“You even have the tone right,” Law says pausing before another one of the posters. “I hate this one.”

 

Marco hums, checking his phone and fielding questions from Haruta about when his next day off was going to be and then check in with the pet sitter to make sure that Stefan wasn’t getting into anything that he wasn’t supposed to. He had already lost one throw pillow, and while he might not like that one, he did like a few of the others.

 

“You’re not even looking.”

 

“I’m looking,” Marco promise glancing up at the poster. “Why is it photoshopped?”

 

“No one, no human at least, can smile that wide.”

 

This rider is the youngest, Marco is guessing that, but he feels that he’s correct. Dark haired and bright eyed with a scar curving along one cheek, smile stretching his face to the limits.

 

“Some people have big mouths, Law, who are you to judge? Come on, or we’re never going to get to lunch.”

 

“He would look human if his mouth wasn’t that big,” Law insists, shifting out the way of someone who wasn’t looking where they were going. “It’s impossible for mouths to be that big. It doesn’t make any sense.”

 

“This is the fourth time, fourth, this week that I have had to hear you complain about the photoshopping of that picture. Either you have nothing else to talk about or your obsessing over it and you need to stop. I will call Bepo and tell him that you’re hyperfocusing.”

 

“Please don’t,” Law frowns, but doesn’t continue.

 

“Come on, I left my office under the pretense of food and I want to eat.”

 

Baratie, the only restaurant that Law hasn’t traumatized yet with his vast and ever growing allergy list, is nice and close, located among all the little shops and things that are closest to the MFEC.

 

“What are the posters for anyway?” Marco asks.

 

Law snorts, “Right, you’re not from around here. MFEC, Monkey Family, of Farm I can’t remember which, Equestrian Center. It’s basically horses, but the poster are publicity. The three on them are the current highest ranking riders in the school. I know that two of them were in the Olympics last year and placed well, at least one gold each. But the whole family in charge of the Center are Olympians.”

 

“So they’re advertising?”

 

“Little bit, I mean, if you had a kid,” Marco snorts. “If you had a kid, you would want the best school. What better school than the one that regularly busts out Olympic Champions? The only one I know by name that belongs to them is Shanks Rötthar, and I only know that because of the accident.”

 

Marco hums, “Lost his arm right? Not too long after going to the Olympics himself? They didn’t think it was cursed or something? You know athletes are superstitious.”

 

“No, he’s the only one to ever be hurt. Sure, there’s the usual horse related injuries, broken ribs and bruises, some contusions, nothing ever really major. I’m sure Kureha is going to assign you to the med tent for their next event. She likes to rotate us in and out to keep shift from getting too bad.”

 

“Gentlemen.”

 

Marco smiles politely, “Sanji, right? It’s good to see you again.”

 

Sanji frowns at them both before sighing and leading them to a table, “You would think that you would be more adventurous. Trafalgar orders the same thing for every meal and you,” Sanji points at Marco. “Order one of three dishes on rotation and only eat half of it.”

 

“My eyes say yes,” Law states glancing at the menu, even though Sanji wasn’t wrong about his choices. “But my epi-pen says that I should fucking not.”

 

“Epi-pen?” Sanji mutters before frowning harder. “You’re the one that went down at that stall last week aren’t you?”

 

“I’m just allergies. Please let me eat the one thing on your menu that won’t try to kill me,” Law states, deadpan. “You can’t make me die today, my work would be very upset if I went into anaphylaxis again this week.”

 

“Well that explains him,” Sanji turns his frown to Marco. “And you?”

 

“Comfort food. You make the most authentic dishes and I’m still homesick. Besides, I’m waiting on some test results about a possible allergy to the vinegar you use in a lot of your other dishes.”

 

Sanji shakes his head, “I go from feeding a bottomless pit to two idiots who are barely surviving when they attempt to eat out. What a fun time.”

 

“Bottomless pit?” Law asks curiously. He had some idea about metabolism that he wanted to look at, if Marco remembered correctly. “As in literal or?”

 

“As in an athlete,” Sanji nods towards the MFEC. “We’re renting the building from them and they come in pretty often. Just one of them can eat enough to feed a small army. My friend, he’s one of them, can put away more food than most grown men can in a week.”

 

Law stares blankly at him for a minute, “I don’t know wether to be horrified or jealous. What I would do to put away that much food without my body attempting to kill me.”

 

“I’m sure,” Sanji says easily. “I’ll be back with your food soon, don’t cause any trouble.”

 

Marco waits for Sanji to vanish into the back before raising an eyebrow, “Was that directed at you, me, or the both of us? I haven’t done anything here before.”

 

“Bepo and I came here once and I got into an argument with on of the other diners,” Law answers shrugging as he leans back in his seat. “It’s fine, as long as I stay at the table and only leave to go to the restroom, than I’m not going to do anything.”

 

“Uh-huh. I don’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth,” Marco yawns. “Tell me about the MFEC then. They do horse competitions?”

 

“You just said you don’t believe a word that comes out of my mouth. They do, competitions and conservation efforts. The horses pulling the carriages? A lot of them are apparently endangered, it’s to raise awareness.”

 

“They certainly sound interesting.” Marco glances down at his phone when it pings at him again, sighing tiredly. “Not again.”

 

“That one stole the dog again?”

 

“Haruta,” Marco agrees. “Apparently it’s a break, which is nice, but I have work. I don’t have time to come and get Stefan.”

 

Law hums, “in good news, we have food.”

 

“Well at least I can murder Haruta on a full stomach.”

* * *

  
  


“You can’t keep stealing my dog,” Marco states stepping into Haruta’s dorm room and kneeling down to pick Stefan up. “He’s a puppy and he has lessons. I pay a trainer and a sitter to take care of him, taking him messes up his schedule.”

 

“But I’m bored,” Haruta groans, sprawled out over the bed and almost knocking over the open bottle of water with her arm. “And I miss you. You never come and visit me unless I kidnap Stefan.”

 

“I do have a job,” Marco says moving to sit at her desk. “Which isn’t why you kidnapped my dog.”

 

Haruta hums, “Pops was calling to ask about you again. Since someone,” she narrows her eyes at him. “Keeps forgetting to return his calls. Him and Thatch and Izou and Jozu. Fuck, I’ve been feilding calls from Kingdew, and he’s still in South America about to head back into the Rainforest to look for some weird shit that he’s geeking over.”

 

“I’m perfectly fine, I set time aside to call them all back this weekend when I’ll be less busy. I’m just tired and there’s a lot of things that I have to do at work.”

 

“Pops is really worried about you. You like people and the last time you went on a date was because Thatch tricked you three years ago. Pops thinks that you’re not happy.”

 

Marco leans back in the chair, “I’m content. I’m still getting use to my work load here and maybe after I’m done with that, I’ll consider dating again. I’m just not interested in anyone.”

 

“You told pops that when you started med school. And again during your residency. He thinks something horrible happened and you’re just not telling him.”

 

“I’m fine, nothing has happened, Haruta. I’m just-,” Marco doesn’t know what to tell her and it’s annoying. Needling like his family’s constant hovering and worry. “I’m not interested in anyone.”

 

Haruta kicks her feet against her mattress, “I think pops worries because everyone else is either really invested in their relationships or not at all interested in one.”

 

“The fact that all of you met those people in college certainly isn’t helping me,” Marco agrees. “Not everyone is going to marry their college sweetheart, no matter what our family tells you. I’m making friends, I’m not lonely.”

 

“Oh yeah, name two friends, I bet you made them up.”

 

“Law and I work together at the hospital and we get lunch most of the time because Law isn’t allowed to eat alone. He’s allergic to more things than you can imagine. Ace and I have a yoga class.”

 

“You do yoga?”

 

“That’s what you got out of this,” Marco sighs. “I tell you that I’ve made friends and you retain that I have a yoga class.”

 

Haruta shrugs, “You said yoga was stupid three years ago.”

 

“Oh, it’s the worst. I’ve gotten my ass pinched more times than I care to count at the gym. There’s a rather large group of middle aged women at the gym, but it’s close to the apartment and I’m too tired to move. And that means Ace will have to suffer alone and that seems mean.”

 

“At least I can tell pops you have friends. I keep hearing about how he’s worried that you’ve locked yourself up in your apartment with Stefan and never go anywhere,” she states sending a text. “Honestly, please post more on instagram, pops thinks that if you post pictures, you’re actually alright and I do have classes.”

 

“That doesn’t stop you from breaking into my home and stealing my dog every other weekend.”

 

“I’m lonely. Jiro’s here but he’s just as busy as I am. We haven’t had a date in months. We talked for four minutes yesterday and that’s the longest talk we’ve had since his last day off.”

 

“Oh no, the worst.”

 

Haruta sticks her tongue out at him, “Stop being a bitter old man. There’s a party on Friday, do you wanna go?”

 

“I think I’m too old for a kegger.”

 

“Oh god,” she laughs. “It’s not a kegger, it’s a fancy party. Well, fancier than a kegger. You could come and talk to people.”

 

Marco shakes his head, “I’m a little too old to consider dating a college freshman. In fact, unless they’re working on a PH.d, I would feel weird and it would fall to pieces as they whined about how they never see me and how my work is too important.”

 

“Is that what happened to that dude you were with briefly during your residency?”

 

“Just because I say something, doesn’t mean it happened. I broke up with him because we thought it was best,” Marco wouldn’t have had to say they had broken up if his family hadn’t showed up unannounced after he had talked someone back to his apartment. “Please, just leave it alone.”

 

“We just want you to be happy. You don’t smile as much anymore and pops’ thinks that you’re depressed. Izou thinks that you’re going through a phase of your life when you need family more than ever, even when you’re pushing us away,” she shrugs at the eyebrow Marco raises. “Izou’s practice is going well and now he’s analyzing the whole family, I don’t want to hear about my abandonment issues anymore, Marco. But they’re worried and you’re not talking to them, so they come to me and get me worried and stressed.”

 

“Fine, stop guilting me into calling them, I will.”

 

“Thatch wants to know if he can set you up with someone he knows. Apparently one of his friends from law school works in the area-”

 

“I don’t need any more help getting dates. Please, just let it go. Tell them to drop it. I’ll tell them myself when I call,” Marco stands. “I have to go, Stefan and I have a run to do and you have probably been feeding him things he shouldn’t be eating. Again.”

 

“He makes the saddest little faces and I’m a weak woman.”

 

“You’re a bratty little sister and going to make him sick,” Marco lets her throw herself at him, hugging him just a bit too tight. “I’ll talk to you soon, okay?”

 

“Fine, but if you don’t call pops by spring break, I’m gonna kidnap your dog and fly him all the way home with me, then see how hard it is to get Stefan back.”

 

Marco waits until he’s in the car to sigh tiredly, “You’re just too small still, huh? Fit into her purse and off she goes. Don’t worry, I saw pictures of your parents, you’ll be too big to kidnap one day and then she’s going to have to convince you to walk.” Stefan yips. “That’s right. Fuck, I don’t want to call them this weekend. Think we should fake an emergency shift? Yeah, me too.”

 

It was nice of them to worry, but all they did was worry and Marco was tired, so very tired, of being worried over because he didn’t stumble upon the love of his life in college, or clearly state he wasn’t interested in anyone. He was perfectly happy with Stefan and his work, and his stupid useless crush on the married guy in his yoga class.

 

Marco sighs, that certainly wouldn’t help him get his family off his back.

* * *

  
  


“Alright,” Marco says pushing open the curtain around the bed as he looked over the file he had been handed. “My name’s Dr. Newgate, I’m going to be your doctor this eve- Ace?”

 

“Oh, hey Marco!” Ace beams from the hospital bed, “I didn’t know you were on shift today. Stop poking my shoulder, Sabo!”

 

The blond rolls his eyes, “I’m Sabo, Ace’s told me a lot about you, Marco. Tell this idiot he needs to get check out.”

 

“What happened?” Marco asks curiously, the file had been rather blank, as most entry forms were for the ER, few details. He’s very careful to avoid that this is probably Ace’s partner, it was an ‘S’ name and he had dragged Ace here saying he needed to be checked over.

 

“I fell and probably bruised up my ribs,” Ace answers and Marco doesn’t miss the looks they shot each other. “He’s worries that it’s worse than I say it is.”

 

“Ace likes to underestimate how badly he’s hurt,” Sabo explains, crossing his arms over his chest. “It was an impressive fall.”

 

“Alright. Ace would you mind taking off your shirt so that I can check?”

 

Sabo takes a step back, “do you mind if I wait outside?”

 

“Sabo worries too much,” Ace whispers in a way that it’s not at all a whisper. “The last time I had bruises, he almost fainted because he got worked up about how they have to be something worse than bruises. Go wait outside, you big baby.”

 

“Just for that I’m going to eat your carton of ice cream,” Sabo warns him stepping out.

 

“He really is just overly worried,” Ace promises. “I’m perfectly fine, if you just want to write that down in your files and let me go?”

 

“Maybe after you let me get a look at those ribs,” Marco counters.

 

“Fine,” Ace sighs, heavily, tugging his shirt over his head and getting distracted for a moment. “Ugh, grass stains all over my new pants, they’re never going to look as pretty and black as they did when I pulled them on.”

 

Marco raises an eyebrow at the splotched purple markings from Ace’s shoulder all the way down to his hip and going further, “You said that you fell?”

 

“My partner threw me,” Ace corrects nervously. “Ended up landing on my side, but nothing is broken and I’m sure that I’ll be healed up before my next event.”

 

“He threw you?” Marco repeats back to him and bites back the urge to demand more information because unless Marco is wrong, Ace’s partner just stepped out the room after doing a very good job of pretending to be worried about him.

 

“It was an accident, I think he got spooked. Maybe I did something wrong,” Ace continues like he’s at fault for this. “It really is an accident. He’s just a horse.”

 

“Your horse threw you?” Marco says quickly because he can’t linger on this or it’ll be weird. “While you were training?”

 

“Yeah, Spade’s not that old yet and I’m not sure what happened, but he definitely spooked and then I was airborne, which can happen if spooked badly,” Ace says brightly. “Luffy, he rides with me and Sabo when he can, he got thrown two years back and the bruises scared the shit out of Sabo, so he rushed Luffy to the hospital thinking they were broken, but just bruises. That’s why he stepped out, until he had answers.”

 

“You ride at the MFEC, then right?” Marco asks, because he needs to have details and if he’s focused on that, he won’t focus on the fact that Ace’s partner is probably his horse and not the man who brought him in. “Unless there’s another center nearby?”

 

Ace laughs, “Yeah. I’ve ridden there my whole life and Sabo, we’ve been best friends for years, he joined when I was six. He’s probably on the phone with Koala trying not to worry. He’s a worrier.”

 

“Spade is your horse?”

 

“La Spadille. He’s only eight years old and we’re still getting use to each other. My last horse, Lord Tyger, he retired recently, not that I wasn’t already training Spade, but he became my main horse after. I’ve got another one too, little baby Striker. Not quite old enough to do much training yet, but just incase something happens to Spade, you know?”

 

Marco nods, taking care as he asks more questions, interjecting a few about how much pain he felt when he pressed against the bruises, “So, do you want good news or bad news first?”

 

“Bad?” Ace says slowly.

 

“You’re going to have to get x-rays,” Marco laughs as Ace groans. “I know, but it’s standard procedure. Good news is I don’t think anything is broken, but we may have some fractures and I would prefer to know that before allowing you back on your horse.”

 

“Fine. Thanks, for helping Marco.”

 

“We’re not done yet, after x-rays, you come back to me and I get to tell you if you’re on a few days of easy duty at work and banned from riding or if this is going to last you months.”

 

“Does easy duty mean no yoga?” Ace asks suddenly. “I actually do like our yoga class, even if we both complain about it all the time.”

 

“No yoga either,” Marco agrees and that is a sad prospect. “But maybe it’s just bruising. You might be lucky.”

 

“Lucky is my middle name.”

 

“It is not,” Sabo states, coming back into the room with his eyes covered. “Your middle name is Delphinus and your phone is ringing.”

 

Marco steps back, “I’ll have one of our x-ray techs here in just a moment, to take you to get looked at. Just relax until then.”

 

It feels like hours before the nurse calls him back to Ace’s room, but he’s been watching the clock and it’s only thirty minutes, accepting the envelope with the x-rays inside.

 

“Alright, we’re about to find out if you are as lucky as you think you are, Ace,” Marco states stepping into the room. “I hope that you’ve been behaving for the nurses while I was away?”

 

“Sabo wouldn't race down the hall while pushing my wheelchair,” Ace pouts. “He’s ruining all my fun, Marco.”

 

“I’m sure that he is,” Marco assures him pulling out the first x-ray and studying it for a long moment and moving onto the second. “So, would you like to hear the verdict?”

 

“Please.”

 

“You’re just bruised. Two days of nothing and then another two of light duty, which does include yoga, but nothing too complex, before you go back to your normal schedule.”

 

“I told you,” Ace punches Sabo in the shoulder, jumping to his feet. “Thanks Marco, I guess I’ll see you in class in a few days then?”

 

“I’ll see you then, try not to end up back here before then.”

* * *

  
  


“I see you’re up and running again,” Marco states, grinning when Ace almost spills the coffee cups in his hands. “Sabo was pretty worried even after I told you that it was all fine.”

 

“Sabo worries. If he could find me a vest that I didn’t think was too bulky and didn’t stiffle my movements, he would have me wearing one all the time, but I actually had mine on that day, so I don’t know why he’s complaining. Was even wearing my hat.”

 

“He wants you to be safe.”

 

Ace rolls his eyes, “he’s basically my brother, he needs to stop. I have my parents to tell me that I should be wearing my gear. Here, I got you this. The girl at the coffee shop recommended it.”

 

“Oh, thanks,” Marco says slowly, accepting it. A thank you, nothing to read into, he reminds himself. “How have the last two days of nothing been for you?”

 

“Boring. My mom didn’t even let me do paperwork, kept insisting that I should rest and ‘try watching television of a bit’. Gramps wasn’t any better. The only reason that dad didn’t try to do the same is because he’s out of town with Luffy. He’s got an event or something. Maybe just a fundraiser.”

 

“I’m glad that you’re alright then, even if it was boring.”

 

Marco doesn’t know if he’s doing something differently, but Ace hasn’t looked at him for more than a handful of moments and it’s worrying. He thought that maybe Ace would be less upset with him. Marco might have put him on bedrest, but he had gotten Sabo to relax-

 

“Are you busy after this? Or before our next yoga lesson?” Ace asks suddenly, looking at him again. “I understand if you are.”   
  
“I have to take my dog out after this and head to work, but I’m free before our next lesson. Why do you have something in mind?”

 

Ace nods, “Breakfast? Just the two of us?”

 

“Like a date?”

 

“As in a date, unless you aren’t interested, in which case, we can forget that I ever asked. Honest. I just thought I would check and see if you were-”

 

“Ace,” he stops. “I would like to go on a date with you, breakfast sounds great. Maybe when we have breakfast, we can plan lunch together another time? I usually go to the restaurant by the MFEC.”

 

“Sounds good,” Ace says, but he’s grinning. “It’s a date.”


	2. Ace's POV

“Sabo!” Ace throws open the door to his brother’s room and closes his eyes, because he’s never sure if Koala is there or not and he doesn’t want to see that. “Sabo, I need your assistance. Wake up, damn it.”

 

Sabo groans and Ace thinks he hears him mutter darkly, “What could you possibly need at, what fucking time is it?” Ace can hear things being fumbled. “Ace, it’s five in the morning, why are you like this?”

 

“Because I need to get dressed and I want to look good, but also be practical for yoga. And I’m bad at fashion, you know that.”

 

“And you couldn’t have asked me before this?” Sabo is getting up, muttering something softly, before shoving Ace out of his room. “I don’t understand why you don’t plan things like clothing in advance. It would make your life so much easier.”

 

Ace laughs, opening his eyes to drag Sabo back to his room, “Come on Sabo, I need help. I want to look good and be functional. How can I do that if I don’t have help?”

 

“You’re a walking fashion nightmare,” Sabo agrees rubbing his eyes tiredly. “Alright, show me your closet. And then I’m going back to bed and spending the rest of the week at Koala’s place. You’ve got to stop waking me up, I have just as much training to worry about as you.”

 

“You’re not much better, just fancier looking,” Ace reminds him, pulling his hair back into a ponytail. “And willing to listen to the people at the shops.”

 

“Why wouldn’t I? If I don’t listen to them, then I’ll end up looking like something my parents thought was acceptable and I would never want to look like that,” Sabo reaches into his closet and pulls out a pair of Ace’s nicer sweatpants and one of his exercise shirts. “There, you could have done this yourself, you know.”

 

“I picked lime green socks to go with my electric blue shirt last week, Sabo. I don’t think you and I have the same idea of my ability to do this.”

 

Sabo snorts, “I trust you can pick a pair of socks without my help then. I want to sleep for another hour and you’re not going to stop me.”

 

“You’re the best brother,” Ace says brightly, letting him leave the room. “Even if I had to steal you.”

 

“S’not stealing,” Sabo yawns tiredly. “If I went willingly.”

 

Ace laughs, dropping down against his bed for a moment before he pulled on the new clothes, staring at his feet for a long moment before pulling out the first pair of socks that he could find. It was best not to second guess them or he would end up with something that looked far too strange.

 

“Still too early,” Ace mutters glancing at his phone, flipping to the messages from his grandmother and finding one of the videos of his two youngest horses. Fer de Lance with the new lungeing cavesson that he had gotten her and completing her canter in the lunge line. Grandma kept Ace up to date on progress when he wasn’t able to get there himself. Striker and his little games, charging through the paddock.

 

He didn’t get to train them as often as he wanted, between his other horses and his competitions, and they were too little for much. Too little for any training in Striker’s case.

 

Ace jolts as his alarm goes off, the one that lets him know he needs to hurry out the house and down the road to the gym, or he’ll be late, shutting it off and grabbing his yoga mate before slipping on his shoes and hurrying out the house, barely stopping long enough for the guards to open the gate before taking off again.

 

He slows down as he reaches the gym, the excitement wearing off and leaving him feeling tired again as he hurries inside and drops down next to Marco, “Mornin’.”

 

Marco makes a quiet sound, looking just as tired as Ace feels.

 

“Do you ever consider, seriously,” Ace yawns, the word breaking, and feels embarrassed. “Moving to the night yoga class, before remembering that you’re dead by sunset and wouldn’t make it?”

 

“All the time,” Marco yawns. “I keep hoping that someone will make caffeine something you can have intravenously. I keep hoping that someone will make caffeine something you can have intravenously, but my dreams haven’t been answered.”

 

“A-” Ace’s yawn cuts him off again. “Aren’t IVs slower?”

 

“No, effects are faster because it’s directly into the circulatory system. And I’m pulling a twelve hour shift today in the ER,” Ace touches Marco’s back, biting back something else as he rubs it softly, as Marco hides his face in his hands. “Do you think the night class has fewer people who would stare at us?”

 

Ace knows what Marco means, how can he not? They spend most of their class being stared at by the women in the class. Ace isn’t sure if it’s because they recognize him or if it’s because Marco is attractive, but, after last time and the one that pinched Marco’s ass, he’s been leaning towards the women thinking they’re attractive. Which still leaves them in an uncomfortable position.

 

“They are terrifying,” Ace agrees. “Pretty sure the last time someone looked at my ass like that, it was my friend and she wanted to tell me that it wasn’t near as nice as her girlfriend’s.”

 

“I’m sure you’ll never be able to live through the betrayal,” Marco says standing up and leading the way to the class. “How is your partner?”

 

Ace grins excitedly, Marco always remembers that Ace has Spadille, always asks after him and it’s nice of him to, “He’s good. We had to try out some things, for work this time, and he almost hurt himself. Apparently he shouldn’t have been trying to jump that high, my grandma was not happy.”

 

“At least he’s alright?”

 

“Yeah, but after yoga today I have more work things and he’s going to be helping me. I’m worried he’ll pull something stupid like he did last time we had to prepare for this event, like not listen to me and ignore what we’re suppose to be doing because he’s hungry. Which he eats plenty!”

 

Marco nods, going right to the corner of the room, where they won’t be surrounded, “I’m sure your partner isn’t being starved, you’re not like that.”

 

“I know,” Ace smiles at him, dropping down on his mat to start stretching. It’s nice to hear that Marco thinks well of him, “But sometimes he does it and I just, I get so mad because like he just ate? I don’t care how good it looks, stop that nonsense.”

 

“Food that looks good is universal,” Marco says leaning backwards. “I know that on more than one occasion I have eaten my fill, then found something that looks good and tried to eat it anyway.”

 

Ace laughs, leaning forward and hiding his face against his knees, “Oh my god, Marco. I can’t believe you’re siding with him on this nonsense. At least tell me that it wasn’t at some function?”

 

“I’m a doctor,” Marco reminds Ace. “What functions am I going to be going to here? The last time Kureha made me attend something, it ended in stitches.”

 

“It ended in what?” Ace whispers as their instructor stands up and starts talking, because how does an event end in stitches. “You’re gonna have to explain that at some point. You don’t just tell someone that a function ended in stitches.”

 

Ace pouts when Marco grins, but turns his attention to the teacher instead. Marco never finished telling his best stories, either gesturing in a way that Ace was sure was suppose to make sense or giving hints of information and then changing the topic, never to return to the first.

 

“How does she even move like that,” Ace mutters, gesturing at their teacher in confusion as Marco nods slowly. “I’m not that flexible.”

 

“You’re not,” Marco mutters back, but he’s grinning just a little. “I’m either bent over a desk or a human, that curve is the opposite way. What the fuck is that called?”

 

“Pigeon pose. I feel like that is too advanced for us and I hate her for even want us to attempt. If this fucks up my back before my event, I will be pissed.”

 

“I know a good chiropractor, if you end up needing it.”

 

Ace smiles at Marco, “I’ve got one, but my next event is before my next appointment. Which reminds me, hopefully I won’t, but I might not be able to make it Thursday, depending on how set up goes and if anything goes wrong.”

 

“If you can’t, then I wish you luck. I’m sure you’re going to do well.”

 

Ace opens his mouth to answer, but the instructor is moving their way and he doesn't want to get them both in trouble. She’s always getting upset when they don’t show her that they’re putting forth the effort to do what she wants them to. His back feels like it’s going to crumble, beside him, Marco’s back crackles like popcorn, and he can’t believe how hard it is to muffle his laugh. Marco shoots him a look and it’s harder, he wants to laugh at that face.

 

“You should probably see that chiropractor yourself,” Ace whispers when he gets the chance. “Or you’re going to end up an old man with a cane.”

 

“Off my lawn,” Marco smirks, shaking his fist at him for a moment. “I prefer to think of myself as the cool grandfather type in my old age.”

 

“Does that mean Hawaiian shirts? My gramps is pretty cool and for the last six years, anytime he’s not in uniform, he’s wearing a Hawaiian shirt. The more brightly colored and the more flowers on it, the more gramps loves it. Grandma says that he’s lucky he waited until she needed glasses or they would give her a migraine.”

 

Marco snorts, his shoulders shake and Ace feels proud to have almost made him laugh, “I don’t think tacky hawaiian shirts make anyone cool.”

 

“I can’t believe you just called my gramps tacky,” Ace tries to sound as if he’s only mildly offended, but doesn’t know if it comes off the right way.

 

“Well, that’s not my fault.”

 

Ace sticks his tongue out at him, hurrying to follow the cool down. Yoga is for him, he’s not doing it to get better at horseback riding or competing, it’s to relax and he’s even made a friend. Marco might not be the kind of friend that Ace has in Sabo, but a friend. One that doesn’t become a rival during competitions.

 

“I always feel like mush when we finish up here,” Ace groans, rolling up his mat and wiggling his shoulders because they feel out of place now. “Not in a bad way? But just all freshly stretched and like I wanna go home and lay about doing nothing.”

 

“But you won’t.”

 

“Nope, I’ve got so much to do,” Ace agrees, one hand on his hip as they step out of the gym, pausing for a moment. “You headed home now?”

 

Marco nods, slow and deliberate, “Gotta take Stefan on his run before he does something horrifying again.”

 

“He’s a baby, Marco, it’s not his fault you left the bathroom door open and he unrolled all the toilet paper. Go take your puppy on his run, I’ll see you tomorrow?”

 

“Tomorrow,” Marco nods, and Ace tries to gather up the courage that he felt this morning when he had woken up and decided to ask Marco on a date, but it falters and he can’t.

 

“Tomorrow!” Ace agrees brightly, waiting for him to leave before dropping his head into his hands in embarrassment. “Damn it.”

 

He had been so sure that today would be the day, that he could finally ask Marco out, even if he did say no, at least he would have asked. And Ace has been trying to ask for almost as long as he’s gotten to know Marco.

 

“Welcome home,” Sabo smirks at him when Ace finally makes it into his apartment’s kitchen. “I don’t suppose that you actually asked Marco out this time, since you were so worried about looking nice.”

 

Ace drops into his seat and buries his face into the table, “I’m a failure, Sabo. I literally stood there to try and do it and failed. I just ended up talking about his puppy and telling him that I would see him tomorrow. We don’t even have yoga tomorrow!”

 

“Well, you’re even more of a mess than normal, but we don’t have time for that. We have to ride today and I’m sure that you can’t miss any of your training.”

 

“You’re going to tell mom about this, aren’t you?”

 

Sabo laughs, “You act like I’m not already standing and heading down the hallway to your parents apartment to tell them that you’ve once again failed to ask out the cute doctor that you keep talking about when we have family dinners. Even after you had help to get dressed, because you insisted that I help you, Ace.”

 

“Please don’t do it,” Ace whines, tilting his head to the side enough to pout at Sabo. “Please?”

 

“I’m gonna do it.”

 

Sabo is up and already throwing open the door to Ace’s apartment and running down the hall, Ace quickly on his heels. The door to his parents’ apartment is already open, which is rare, and Sabo is inside, slamming the door shut in Ace’s face.

 

“Boys,” Ace hears his mother state, can imagine the look on her face. “What seems to be the reason for all this slamming and yelling?”

 

“Ace didn’t ask out the cute doctor.”

* * *

 

“Are you still watching videos of Striker and Fer de Lance,” Deuce asks watching Ace stare at his phone, longingly. “We have work to do. There’s competitions that we need to prepare for, Ace.”

 

Ace leans further against the fence around the empty lungeing circle, staring at his phone, “I can’t. I’m emotionally unable to deal with this right now, Deuce. My mom is still laughing at me.”

 

“You fucked up asking that doctor out for the seventh time. Seven times is a lot, Ace. You’ve won competitions that many times this season, or did you forget? I don’t care if the doctor turned you down, we have work to do.”

 

“I can’t,” Ace whines.

 

“Ace, I will throw you into a bucket of water if your phone doesn’t get put away and you don’t go into that stable to get Spade. We’re not even suppose to be at the lungeing circle, but you won’t move and it was the only one empty for you to lean against. You’re worse than your dad and you grandfather.”

 

Ace pouts at him, “I’m trying to be dramatic and sad, Deuce. I’m mooning,” he raises an eyebrow. “And I’d like to think that dad and gramps would be worse than I am. You’re being really mean to me, you know. I thought you were my manager, not someone mean to me.”

 

“You’re about to get my boot, is what you are,” Deuce warns pointing at him. “We have work to do and you know that we have to be in top condition for your next competition. Please put your phone away and get Spade? We have work to do.”

 

“I don’t want to,” Deuce pinches the bridge of his nose and breathes out slowly. “Can’t I have one day off, Deuce?”

 

“No, Ace. We have plans and I know you’re upset about how you failed to ask out your cute doctor, but we have work. There’s a lot still left to do and if you get Spade now and start working, I’ll arrange for more free time at the end of the day.”

 

Ace sighs, “Fine, but I want to complain more during lunch.”

 

“Fine,” Deuce agrees tiredly. Ace grins, putting his phone back into his pocket, and heading into the stables to get Spadille, barely stopping when Deuce makes an enraged sound. “You did this to let me make you complain later, didn’t you?”

 

“Did I?” Ace asks curiously, heading towards the stables where Banshee or Cornelia will already have Spadille ready to go. “I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”

 

“I’m going to quit and work for someone that doesn’t do this to me,” Deuce states throwing his hands into the air. “I’m going to steal your entire team too, I’m sure that people would be pleased to get us, since you’re such a rude boss.”

 

“I’m a very polite boss, how could you be so rude to me, Deuce?”

 

“Rude,” Deuce states raising an eyebrow. “I’m rude? Never mind,” Deuce shakes his head, tired already. “We’ve got two hours of riding and then I willingly sit still and listen to you complain about how foolish you were for failing to ask that guy out. After which, you’ll have to work with Wisteria and Loroc.”

 

“You’re only saying that because you want to laugh at me, aren’t you? You know I do actually know my own schedule, I’m not stupid.”

 

Deuce nods, “I’m going to laugh myself sick and I’m even going to invite Banshee, because she’s going to call you a useless gay again. And you say that, but you have on more than one occasion forgotten your own schedule. ”

  
“She’s lesbian, she’s not much better! She failed to ask Cornelia out for seven months. I’ve only known Marco for three. I’ve still gotten her beat, damn it.”

 

“Whatever makes you feel better, Ace.”

 

“At least my horses love me and aren’t jerks,” Ace states grinning as Banshee hands him the reins and then tightens the girth. “Isn’t that right, Spadille?” Spadille sneezes on him and Ace sighs tiredly, “So much love.”

 

Deuce snickers to himself, “I see that they love you very much.”

 

“Shut up, Deuce.”

 

* * *

 

Ace groans, rolling onto his back and staring blankly at the sky for a long moment as he hears Deuce and someone else shouting in the near distance, too dazed to pay attention to them. He leans his head back, spotting Spadille coming back towards him.

 

“Hey, Spade,” Ace says softly, rubbing Spadille’s nose, laughing as his horse tries to get closer to him. “I know, I know. There’s something wrong with that jump, isn’t there? That’s okay, we’ll try again.”

 

“Boss, I’m gonna need you to not do that,” Deuce says dropping down beside him, looking more than a little concerned. “You fell down and Spadille heading back towards you were concerning. Look at me.”

 

“I didn’t hit my head, I’m wearing a hat,” Ace reaches up to touch his helmet. “Don’t think that it would be enough to break it, but could have been a rock, I’m sure. Is there something wrong with it?”

 

Deuce shakes his head, but there’s something sharp about his face as he continues, “No, your hat’s good, Ace. How are your ribs, you fell on your side.”

 

“Got a vest on too,” Ace says shifting upright and twisting from side to side. “I’m fine, I didn’t even hit the ground that hard. Spadille and I are ready to try again, aren’t we, Spadille?”

 

“You’re as bad as the rest of your crazy horse riding family,” Deuce hisses through his teeth and Ace grins at him. “Did he trip or did something else happen?”

 

Ace yawns, “No, no. His feet are fine. Help me up? I want to check him over before we get back to work,” Deuce helps him upright, frowning at him. “Thanks, come here Spadille,” moving closer to check him over. “What a good boy.”

 

He checks Spadille’s mouth, looking for any blood and checking to see if anything was sore, patting down his neck and his flanks for scratches or discomfort, before nodding, “We’re all good, see? All good, Spadille.”

 

Ace climbs back into the saddle, thanking Deuce for the help up, ignoring how Deuce grumbles, before walking Spadille through the arena to calm him down. It takes a few minutes for Spadille to relax and that’s when Ace decides to take Spadille back over to the obstacle they had been attempting to jump, slower than before. Reintroducing him to it, watching him.

 

“Oh, I see,” Ace nods in understanding. “It’s the shadows, isn’t it? Those are the worse, aren’t they?” he waits a few more minutes. “Alright, we’re gonna try this again, think you’re up for it?”

 

Ace directs Spadille away from the jump and getting back up to a canter to attempt the jump again, grinning happily when Spadille clears the jump.

 

“There we go!” Ace says excitedly, slowing down to a walk and leaning forward to pat and rub Spadille’s neck. “We did it, good job, Spadille. A great jump, I’m very proud of you.”

 

He takes a few more jumps, making sure that Spadille is alright before going back to what they had been doing before, moving faster and going back to trying the jumps that they were suppose be making. It’s quick and by the time he’s finished, Sabo is already waiting for him.

 

“Hey, you’re done with Benn already?” Ace asks, because he’s not going to admit to falling instantly. “I thought your training went on for another hour?”

 

“Benn let me go early,” Sabo states frowning at him. “I hear that you fell.”

 

“I’m fine,” Ace says calmly, letting Banshee take Spadille from him. “I climbed back onto Spadille and we just finished up. It’s treat time, Sabo.”

 

“It’s hospital time, you fell from Spadille.”

 

Ace frowns harder, “Spadille did so well that he deserve treats. I will go to the hospital, after I’m allowed to give Spadille his treats. How can you say no to this face?” he gestures to Spadille and Sabo raises an eyebrow. “Ugh, you’re disgusting. Let me treat him.”

 

“This once,” Sabo agrees finally. “Hurry up.”

 

Ace grins heading into the stables with Banshee and Spadille, “Will you keep an eye on him, he might be sore.”

 

“I’ve already gotten the cream to put under his wraps,” Banshee promises. “Deuce warned me that this might be something you were worried about. His treats are in the usual place.”

 

“Thanks Banshee,” Ace hurries to grab the treats, taking his time to feed Spadille his treats. “You’re such a good boy. A good horse. Sabo’s just stupid, you didn’t throw me that hard.”

 

Ace leaves reluctantly, letting Sabo bundle him into a car and down the road to the hospital, since Sabo insisted that Ace couldn’t walk that far according to Sabo. He waits until they’re in the hospital room before trying to argue with Sabo again.

 

“I was wearing a vest, you’re overreacting,” Ace insists quietly, trying not to get him to launch into another rant about how Ace needed a second vest. “There’s nothing wrong.”

 

“And I’ll believe that when I see it,” Sabo hisses as the curtain opens, poking his shoulder.

 

“Alright, my name’s Dr. Newgate, I’m going to be your doctor this eve- Ace?”

 

“Oh, hey Marco!” Ace grins, trying to avoid Sabo’s fingers stabbing into his shoulder, “I didn’t know you were on shift today. Stop poking my shoulder, Sabo!”

 

Sabo rolls his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest and sighing, “I’m Sabo, Ace’s told me a lot about you, Marco. Tell this idiot he needs to get check out.”

 

“What happened?” Marco asks stepping closer and looking at the clipboard with the paperwork that Ace had been forced to fill out while waiting.

 

“I fell and probably bruised up my ribs,” Ace answers, glancing at Sabo helplessly, because it’s Marco. Marco wasn’t suppose to be the doctor. “He’s worries that it’s worse than I say it is.”

 

“Ace likes to underestimate how badly he’s hurt,” Sabo explains, crossing his arms over his chest and ignoring Ace, like the rude younger brother that he was. “It was an impressive fall.”

 

“Alright. Ace would you mind taking off your shirt so that I can check?”

 

Sabo takes a step back, just like Ace knew that he would, “do you mind if I wait outside?”

 

“Sabo worries too much,” Ace whispers in a way that it’s not at all a whisper, because he’s going to be as much of jerk as Sabo was. “The last time I had bruises, he almost fainted because he got worked up about how they have to be something worse than bruises. Go wait outside, you big baby.”

 

“Just for that I’m going to eat your carton of ice cream,” Sabo warns him stepping out, which is a vicious crime that means Ace will have to eat the cookies that Sabo thinks are hidden with the pots and pans in revenge.

 

“He really is just overly worried,” Ace promises, hoping to get out of this. “I’m perfectly fine, if you just want to write that down in your files and let me go?”

 

“Maybe after you let me get a look at those ribs,” Marco counters.

 

“Fine,” Ace sighs, heavily, tugging his shirt over his head and catching sight of his breeches. “Ugh, grass stains all over my new pants, they’re never going to look as pretty and black as they did when I pulled them on.”

 

Marco raises an eyebrow, “You said that you fell?”

 

“My partner threw me,” Ace corrects nervously, his hands tangled together. “Ended up landing on my side, but nothing is broken and I’m sure that I’ll be healed up before my next event.”

 

“He threw you?” Marco repeats back to him and Ace tilts his head because they way that Marco says it sounds weird. “Is that common?”

 

“It was an accident, I think he got spooked. Maybe I did something wrong,” Ace explains, because he should have noticed that the shadows were different or that Spadille was acting strangely. “It really is an accident. He’s just a horse.”

 

“Your horse threw you?” Marco asks, that tone is so weird again, Ace doesn’t understand why it should be. “While you were training?”

 

“Yeah, Spade’s not that old yet and I’m not sure what happened, but he definitely spooked and then I was airborne, which can happen if spooked badly,” Ace says brightly, he loves to talk about his horses. “Luffy, he rides with me and Sabo when he can, he got thrown two years back and the bruises scared the shit out of Sabo, so he rushed Luffy to the hospital thinking they were broken, but just bruises. That’s why he stepped out, until he had answers.”

 

“You ride at the MFEC, then right?” Marco asks curiously. “Unless there’s another center nearby?”

 

Ace laughs, because Marco had said that he was new in town, he wouldn’t know that almost everyone in the area who rode would be part of the MFEC, “Yeah. I’ve ridden there my whole life and Sabo, we’ve been best friends for years, he joined when I was six. He’s probably on the phone with Koala trying not to worry. He’s a worrier.”

 

“Spade is your horse?”

 

“La Spadille. He’s only eight years old and we’re still getting use to each other. My last horse, Lord Tyger, he retired recently, not that I wasn’t already training Spade, but he became my main horse after. I’ve got another one too, little baby Striker. Not quite old enough to do much training yet, but just incase something happens to Spade, you know?”

 

Marco nods, “So, do you want good news or bad news first?”

 

“Bad?” Ace says slowly, because the worst news was always the hardest to deal with.

 

“You’re going to have to get x-rays,” Marco laughs as Ace groans, the jerk. “I know, but it’s standard procedure. Good news is I don’t think anything is broken, but we may have some fractures and I would prefer to know that before allowing you back on your horse.”

 

“Fine. Thanks, for helping Marco.”

 

“We’re not done yet, after x-rays, you come back to me and I get to tell you if you’re on a few days of easy duty at work and banned from riding or if this is going to last you months.”

 

“Does easy duty mean no yoga?” Ace asks suddenly. “I actually do like our yoga class, even if we both complain about it all the time.”

 

“No yoga either,” Marco agrees. “But maybe it’s just bruising. You might be lucky.”

 

“Lucky is my middle name.”

 

“It is not,” Sabo states, coming back into the room with his eyes covered, ruining the moment. “Your middle name is Delphinus and your phone is ringing.”

 

Marco steps back, arms crossing over his chest and smiling politely, “I’ll have one of our x-ray techs here in just a moment, to take you to get looked at. Just relax until then.”

 

The x-rays are quick, even if it’s cold in the room and Ace hates it. Sabo laughs at him when they get back to the room they had been tucked away in.

 

“So that’s your doctor?”

 

“Shut up, he could come back at any minute, you ass.”

 

Sabo laughs, “He’s interesting. Not sure that I understand the hair, but he’s not the weirdest looking person that you’ve found attractive,” he cuts Ace off before he can try to object. “I will sit here and list every single person that you have had a crush on for the last ten years, so help me, Ace.”

 

They both stop as the door opens back up and Marco steps inside, “Alright, we’re about to find out if you are as lucky as you think you are, Ace, I hope that you’ve been behaving for the nurses while I was away?”

 

“Sabo wouldn't race down the hall while pushing my wheelchair,” Ace pouts, because it’s true. Sabo had said it would disturb the rest of the patients. “He’s ruining all my fun, Marco.”

 

“I’m sure that he is,” Marco agrees, pulling out the x-rays and looking over them curiously. “So, would you like to hear the verdict?”

 

“Please.”

 

“You’re just bruised. Two days of nothing and then another two of light duty, which does include yoga, but nothing too complex, before you go back to your normal schedule.”

 

“I told you,” Ace punches Sabo in the shoulder, jumping to his feet. He considers punching Sabo a second time because this was all Sabo’s fault, but decides against it. “Thanks Marco, I guess I’ll see you in class in a few days then?”

 

“I’ll see you then, try not to end up back here before then.”

 

Ace hurries Sabo out the hospital before his brother can say something stupid, pushing him all the way out to the car.

 

“Aw, you don’t want me to tell him about all your embarrassing stories?” Sabo teases, dropping into the driver’s seat. “I bet he would love to hear about the time that you stole your dad’s riding boots and told your mom that you were gonna stealing her horse for the Olympics.”

 

“Shut up, we didn’t even know each other at that point, how do you know that?” Ace hisses furiously.

 

“Your mom told me.”

* * *

 

“I see you’re up and running again,” Marco states and Ace jumps, almost losing his grip on the two cups of coffee in his hands. “Sabo was pretty worried even after I told you that it was all fine.”

 

“Sabo worries. If he could find me a vest that I didn’t think was too bulky and didn’t stiffle my movements, he would have me wearing two all the time, but I actually had mine on that day, so I don’t know why he’s complaining. There’s no need to wear two. Was even wearing my hat.”

 

“He wants you to be safe.”

 

Ace rolls his eyes, feeling put upon because of course Marco would agree with Sabo, “he’s basically my brother, he needs to stop. I have my parents to tell me that I should be wearing my gear. Here, I got you this. The girl at the coffee shop recommended it.”

 

“Oh, thanks,” Marco says slowly, taking it. “How have the last two days of nothing been for you?”

 

“Boring. My mom didn’t even let me do paperwork, kept insisting that I should rest and ‘try watching television of a bit’. Gramps wasn’t any better. The only reason that dad didn’t try to do the same is because he’s out of town with Luffy. He’s got an event or something. Maybe just a fundraiser.”

 

“I’m glad that you’re alright then, even if it was boring.”

 

Ace bites his lower lip, looking away because he can’t look at Marco, not right this moment,  “Are you busy after this? Or before our next yoga lesson? I understand if you are.”  
  
“I have to take my dog out after this and head to work, but I’m free before our next lesson. Why do you have something in mind?”

 

Ace nods hopefully, “Breakfast? Just the two of us?”

 

“Like a date?”

 

“As in a date, unless you aren’t interested, in which case, we can forget that I ever asked. Honest. I just thought I would check and see if you were-”

 

“Ace,” Marco pauses and Ace isn’t sure if he should still be hopeful. “I would like to go on a date with you, breakfast sounds great. Maybe when we have breakfast, we can plan lunch together another time? I usually go to the restaurant by the MFEC.”

 

“Sounds good,” Ace says, excited, “It’s a date.”

 

“Where do you want to go? I don’t actually know a lot of places around here and I don’t think that Baratie does breakfast.”

 

Ace laughs, giddy with the knowledge that Marco was at least willing to go on one date with him, “There’s a cafe just a few door down. It’s a pretty nice place and it’s open pretty early, so we’ll have time to eat before yoga.”

 

“It sounds good,” Marco pulls his phone from his pocket and hands it to Ace. “Add your number and send yourself a text. We can arrange everything that way, if you want?”

 

“Alright,” Ace swallows, quickly typing out a message to himself and sending it before adding his number into the contacts list. “I, I might not answer right way. I’ve got a lot of training with my horses during the day, so I hope that you don’t mind that I’m not able-”

 

“Ace, I’m a doctor. I’m not going to be upset that you don’t answer my texts instantly. We’re adults, I think we can be adult about that too.”

 

Ace grins, giving him back his phone, “Thank you.”

* * *

 

“So you ride horses competitively?” Marco asks slowly, curiously. “I mean, you’ve mentioned riding them and as far as I know, most people don’t ride as much as you’ve mentioned if they aren’t competitive?”

 

“Yeah, I compete internationally in a number of competitions,” Ace agrees pulling the first part of his breakfast closer. “Sabo and Luffy do too. For at least me and Luffy, it’s a family thing. My folks compete too and Gramps retired a few years ago.”

 

Marco grins, “And MFEC is the one that you work with?”

 

“You’re really not from around here,” Ace says, smiling and trying not to laugh at him. “MFEC is Monkey Foundation Equestrian Center. It’s a well known facility and,” he wishes he hadn’t tied his hair back, because he would love to be able to hide behind it. “Gramps is the current head of the MFEC.”

 

“I thought someone named Monkey would be in charge. Was the family unable to keep running it?”

 

Ace laughs, ducking his head, “Gramps is Garp Monkey. My dad took his mom’s last name instead of his dad’s because she died when he was young. Technically, if dad kept gramps name, I would be Ace Monkey, which I don’t think sounds very nice. Ace Gol is much better.”

 

“So your family owns the foundation, so you’ve met the people in the posters then,” Marco looks far too interested and Ace shifts nervously. “One of my co-workers insists that one of the posters is badly photoshopped because the smile is too big and I need to know if that is how the person in question smiles.”

 

“Too big smile,” Ace mutters trying to figure out what he could mean. His smile looked normal, if he wasn’t wrong and Sabo’s was more of a smirk than a smile, which left, “Do you mean the one with the scar underneath his eye?”

 

“That’s the one. Law thinks that smile is fake and I’ve been trying to convince him that it’s not.”

 

“That’s Luffy, my cousin, and that is very much his normal smile,” Ace pulls out his phone, flipping through the pictures to the ones they had taken of themselves at the photoshoot. “Here he is on set. He was excited, but it’s Luffy and he’s always excited.”

 

Marco grins, “Sounds like Haruta,” he hands Ace back his phone. “Thank you for helping me win that bet. It’s been eating away at us.”

 

“Honestly, most of the photoshopping was to remove the horse slobber. It took ages to get the pictures because we kept getting licked. Wisteria spent twenty minutes trying to eat my lapels before moving on to my hair. Liberty went after Sabo’s sunglasses and we barely stopped him from eating them.”

 

“We?” Marco says slowly and Ace freezes, because he hasn’t mentioned that yet, but Marco doesn’t look upset when he raises an eyebrow. “Ace?”

 

“I might be on one of the posters?”

 

“Law said that the posters were the three top riders at MFEC, two of which won at the Olympics,” he stops and Ace shifts nervously. “And of course it’s you. Fuck, I’m dating someone who won at the Olympics.”

 

“It’s one date?” Ace offers.

 

Marco looks up, “I was hoping to convince you on a second. If you’re willing? And I’m still interested in a second date, just I wasn’t expecting that.”

 

“Oh,” Ace whispers hiding his face in his hands. “I mean, there’s posters all over the park? And at the facility?”

 

“I know that, but your hair is always up. It’s like Clark Kent and Superman,” Marco grins. “But it suits you. Your hair looks nice down too.”

 

Ace grins, “Can you do anything with your hair?”

 

It’s derailing the train of conversation, but it’s enough. Marco laughs and he lets Ace ask after him, which Ace wants to know. About him and what he does beyond working at the hospital. He even gets to see the pictures of Marco’s puppy, Stefan.

 

“He’s a cutie. What does he do when you’re at work all day?” Ace asks curiously leaning closer to get a better look at Marco’s picture.

 

“I have a dog sitter and trainer that come by while I’m at work. Stefan likes them, probably because he sees them more than he does me.”

 

“I can’t wait to meet him.”


End file.
